Metalworking tool for repairing automobile bodies



v. R. JONES 2,756,621

METALWORKING TOOL FOR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE BODIES July 31, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 17, 1953 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS V. R. JONES July 31, 1956 METALWORKING TOOL FOR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE BODIES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 17, 1955 Vz'czar i. J6me INVENTOR I I I ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent G METALWORKING TOOL FoR REPAIRING AUTOMOBILE BODIES Victor R. Jones, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application March 17, 1953, Serial No. 342,871

1 Claim. (CI. 81-15) This invention relates to a metal working tool designed primarily for use in straightening or-removing. dents or depressions formed in motor vehicle bodies or fenders, as the result of collision. I

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including a gauge member and pivoted presser head, which are so mounted with respect to each other that the gauge may be adjusted with respect to the bending tool and with respect to the portion of the motor vehicle body to be straightened, so that the bending tool may be accurately centered over the portion of the vehicle body to be repaired.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a metal working tool which may be used in straightening dents or depressions, eliminating the necessity of removing the fenders, doors or portions of the body to be repaired, in order to straighten the same.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating a tool constructed in accordance with the invention as supported from the side rail of the chassis of a vehicle.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the upper gauge section of the device.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a similar metal working tool especially designed for use in removing dents or depressions from doors or side panels of the vehicle body.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of one end of the operating lever.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a modified form of bending tool.

Fig. 9 is a fragmental sectional view through the am gular end of a tool.

Fig. 10 is a further modified form of bending tool, also used as an anvil for heat shrinking in repairing badly damaged panels wherein the upholstery or panels are not removed.

Fig. 11 is an end elevational view of another form of bending tool.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view illustrating a further form of bending tool.

Fig. 13 is an end elevational view of the form of bending tool shown by Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 indicates the supporting bracket for the tool, the supporting bracket including a channel-shaped shank 6 formed with a jaw 7 at its upper end, the flanges 8 of the shank or body portion of the bracket being formed with teeth 9.

2,756,621 Patented July 31, 1956 The bracket also includes the sliding jaw 10 which is held in contact with the shank 6, by means of the yoke 11 that is pivotally connected to the sliding jaw 10 at 12. As shown, the yoke is substantially long and provides the support for the pawl 13 which is normally biased towards the teeth 9, by the leaf spring 14 that is secured to the under surface of the yoke 11 with its free end hearing against the pawl 13, as clearly shown by Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Slidably mounted within the open side of the channelshaped shank 6 is the supporting bar 15 which is of a width to contact the flanges 8 to hold the supporting bar 15 against lateral movement with respect to the shank 6.

The reference character 16 indicates a securing screw which passes through a threaded opening in the yoke, adjacent to the upper edge thereof, the securing screw being so located on the yoke that when it is rotated to secure the supporting bar 15 to the shank 6, the yoke will be tilted downwardly causing the pawl to move into contact with the teeth 9 securing the supporting bar in various positions of adjustment along the channel-shaped shank 6. Secured to the pawl 13, is the stop screw 17 which limits the upward movement of the pawl, when the securing screw 16 has been unscrewed to allow sliding movement of the supporting bar to make an adjustment.

At the lower end of the supporting bar, is the threaded socket 18 into which one end of the arm 19 is threaded, the arm 19 embodying an outer adjustable section 20 which is connected with the arm 19, by means of the threaded sleeve 21 which moves over oppositely threaded ends of the members 19 and 20 to adjust the members 19 and 20 with respect to each other.

Secured to the outer end of the outer adjustable section 20, is the bearing member 22 which is formed with an enlarged opening 23 through which the shank 24 of the bending tool 25 extends, the lower end of the shank 24 being removably held within the vertical opening of the head 26 formed at the inner end of the operating arm or lever 27 This operating arm or lever 27 provides a support for the gauge 28 which cooperates with the tool 25 inaccurately positioning the bending tool opposite to the dent or depression to be removed. The gauge 28 includes a lower tubular section 29 formed with the enlargement 30 at its lower end which is pivotally connected with the strap 31 that is fitted around the operating arm 27. The strap and enlargement of the lower tubular section 29 are pivotally connected by means of the bolt 32 which extends through the enlargement and right angled ends of the strap 31 so that the strap 31 may be adjusted longitudinally of the operating arm 27. The nut 33 which is secured on the bolt 32 will provide means for clamping the strap into close fit with the operating arm 27.

Extending into the upper end of the lower tubular section 29, is the upper adjustable gauge section 34 which has a right angled end 35 forked as at 36 for contact with the metal directly opposite to the dent or depression to be removed indicating the proper location of such dent or depression.

Thus it will be seen that the gauge will indicate the point where the bending tool is located so that the tool may be adjusted to fall directly opposite to the dent to be removed. It will be seen that because of the adjustability of the gauge section 34, the gauge may be used with bending tools having shanks of various lengths as shown by Figs. 8, 10 and 12 of the drawings.

When it is desired to use the metal working tool in removing a dent or depression from a door of a car, the bracket as previously described is discarded and the shank 24 of the bending tool 25 is extended upwardly through one of the openings formed in the lower rail of the door,

as shown by Fig. 6 of the drawings. The operating arm 27 is now positioned with the head 26 thereof in position to receive the lower end of the shank 24, the shank 24 being secured to the head 26 by means of the set screw 37.

Prior to positioning the bending tool for removing a dent or depression in a door, the upper end of the gauge 28 is adjusted longitudinally of the lower tubular section 29 to bring the upper gauge section 34 to a position where the right angled end 35 thereof will fall opposite to the tool 25. The operating arm 27 is now pressed downwardly causing the tool 25 to press the metal under treatment directly opposite to the gauge outwardly thereby removing the dent or depression.

In the removal of dents of elongated character, the

appropriate bending tool, such as shown by Figs. 8, 10,

11 and 12, may be used in lieu of the tool 25, the tool 38 being formed with shanks of various lengths and angularly disposed elongated end portions 39 which may be fitted against the inner surface of the depression or dent to be removed.

In the form of the tool as shown by Fig. 10, the side faces of the right angled end 40 of the tool are beveled providing fiat metal contacting surfaces.

A tool indicated by Fig. 12 is formed with an angular section 41 terminating in a right angled end 42, the end 42 having beveled surfaces 43 to contact the metal under treatment.

In operation, assuming that a fender is to be repaired, the bracket is positioned with its jaws gripping the channel bar of the chassis of the vehicle, the channel bar being indicated by the reference character A in Fig. 1. The bar is now adjusted to the proper height and the securing screw 16 is operated to securely clamp the supporting bar 15 within the channel shank of the clamp. A bending tool of a proper length is selected and inserted in the head 26 of the operating arm. The gauge is now adjusted to bring the forked end 36 thereof opposite to the end of the bending tool 25. The tool shank 24 is now inserted through the opening 23 of the bearing member 22 and the device is positioned with the gauge 28 opposite to the fender under treatment. Due to this adjustment, the operator may, when positioning the device, readily determine when the bending tool is directly opposite to the dent or depression to be removed, with the knowledge that when pressure is directed thereto the metal will be pressed outwardly removing the dent or depression.

As previously indicated it will of course be understood that the type of bending tool selected to be positioned in the head 26 of the operating arm will depend on the type of depression or dent to be removed.

When removing a dent or depression from a door, the tool shank 24 of a selected bending tool is inserted through one of the openings in the bottom of the door, which is indicated by the reference character B, and moved to a position directly opposite to the dent or depression. It will of course be understood that the gauge will have been adjusted to lie directly opposite to the bending end portion of the tool so that the operator may position the bending tool directly below the dent under treatment by properly locating the gauge, with the assurance that the bending tool when operated will engage the dent or depression.

In view of the foregoing disclosure, it is believed that a further description as to the operation and utility of the device is unnecessary.

I claim:

A metal working tool for removing dents and recesses in motor vehicle bodies, comprising a supporting bar, means for securing said supporting bar to a vehicle chassis, an arm extending laterally from the lower end of said supporting bar, a bearing member secured on the free end of said arm, an operating lever, a replaceable bending tool rising from one end of said operating lever positioned in said bearing member for pivotal movement, said bending tool adapted to engage the inner surface of the vehicle body or fender being straightened when the tool is operated, and a gauge secured to the operating arm disposed in parallel spaced relation with the bending tool adjustable to a position opposite to the free end of any one of a number of bending tools of various lengths, said gauge member to be positioned, at the outer surface of the body or fender, indicating the position for locating the bending tool opposite to the dent or recess to be removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 720,950 McWeeney Feb. 17, 1903 1,775,968 Nelson Sept. 16, 1930 1,813,012 Asher July'7, 1931 1,897,142 Peterson Feb. 14, 1933 1,909,284 Kuhn May 16, 1933 2,151,063 Weaver Mar. 21, 1939 2,256,130 Trachsel Sept. 16, 1941 2,543,347 Bartlo Feb. 27, 1951 2,605,808 Current Aug. 5, 1952 

